Fresh catfish (Clarias gariepinus) were subjected to different concentrations of sodium benzoate or potasium sorbate and smoked traditionally before evaluation for microbiological, chemical and organoleptic characteristics during ambient tropical storage. Unsmoked fish samples showed diverse microflora (Enterobacter, Escherichia, Serratia, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Achlya genera) while smoked samples were dominated by Gram-positive bacterial flora (Bacillus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus) and spoilage moulds (Penicillium verrucosum, Aspergillus flavus and Achlya spp.). Significant reduction in microbial population occurred in most samples following smoking with samples subjected to 0.4% (w/v) potassium sorbate showing the lowest microbial load and maximum shelf-stability. However, marked microbial increase occurred after day 4 of storage in control and benzoate-treated samples. Changes in pH were marginal but decreased after day 12 of storage. Moisture content decreased sharply after smoking and remained low after day 4 of storage. Overall, potassium sorbate treatment (0.4% w/v) was most effective in controlling microbial quality and extended the shelf-life of the samples by 8 d.

Observations made over a three-year period at the Fish Diseases Laboratory of the African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC), Nigeria, revealed the gradual emergence of a new, highly infectious septicaemic condition in some widely cultivated freshwater fish species. The broad host range included: Heterobanchus bidorsalis, Clarias gariepinus, "Heteroclarias" (a hybrid of these two species, male and female respectively), Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, and Cyprinus carpio. Clinical signs and pathological lesions associated with the condition were ty ical, irrespective of the fish species affected; natural outbreaks ap eared to be associated with stress &e to environmental factors. The bacterium isolated from moribuncfand freshly-dead fishes was identified as a Bacillus sp., based on the observed cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics. Fish reinfection trials confirmed that the isolate was the causative agent of the condition. Antibiotic sensitivity tests showed that the organism was sensitive to tetracycline hydrochloride.

The effect of slice thickness and blanching time on some properties of yam (Dioscorea rotundata) flour was investigated. The properties determined include moisture content, crude protein, ash content, crude fibre and carbohydrate; bulk density, water and Oil absorption capacity; taste, texture, appearance and aroma respectively. The yam tubers were sliced at 6, 12, 18mm, labeled samples A, B, C and D (control sample) and blanched at 650C for 5, 7 and 9 mins. They were dried at 600C and milled into flour. The results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using the design expert software 7.0. The results show that slice thickness and blanching time have significant effect (p<0.05) on the fat and ash content which ranged from 3.55 to 9.40% and 1.63 to 2.51% respectively. The slice thickness and blanching time did not have significant effect on moisture content, crude fibre, protein, carbohydrate, bulk density, water absorption capacity and oil absorption capacity of the flour; they ranged from 3.88 to 13.15%, 0.37 to 1.34%, 0.19 to 2.04%, 74.86 to 87.94%, 0.73 to 0.79g/ml, 2.00 to 6.67g/ml, 0.5 to 7.5g/ml respectively. Organoleptic assessment shows that yam flour with slice thickness 18mm and blanched for 5min, 7min and 9 minutes were preferred by panelists in terms of appearance, aroma, texture and taste with mean of 4.6, 4.4, 3.7 and 4.3 respectively. The statistical analysis based on desirability function shows that yam flour sliced at 6mm and 12mm, blanched for 7 minutes respectively yielded yam flour with better nutritional and functional properties. Contribution/Originality:This study documents the effect of slice thickness and blanching time on the nutritional, functional and organoleptic properties of yam (Dioscorea rotundata) flour. The results revealed that processing parameters affected some of the quality attributes of yam flour.is the most preferred out of the other species; it is also the most widely grown because it has numerous varieties which are generally considered to be the best in terms of food quality, thus attracting the highest market value (Markson, Omosun, Madunagu, Amadioha, & Wokocha, 2010). In Nigeria, the largest yam producing states are Taraba, Niger and Benue while Nasarawa, Kogi, Ondo, Oyo and Delta states also have reasonable high levels of Yam production (Baah, 2009). Yam contains about 116-118 calories and has high amount of carbohydrate. All varieties of yam comprise of starch, water, small quantities of protein and other micro nutrients (Baah, 2009).

The resence of a rusty-yellow discolouration of the skin of the two tilapia species being cultured at the ifrican Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC) was studied using clinical and epizootiological methods. The condition affected the tilapia species only. Ante-mortem and post-mortem examination revealed that the discolouration was restricted to the surface of the cutaneous tissue; affecting the underside of the exposed part of the scales, the fins, and the skin flap covering the scale pockets, most1 in adult fish. Microbiological and histopathological studies, as well as experimental infection triai demonstrated that a rosette-shaped, filamentous gram-positive bacterium, was the aetiologic agent. This organism was characterised as an Actinomyces species based on standard microbiological techniques. Correlation between physico-chemical parameters of the pond water and the prevalence of the skin discolouration, suggested a ossible relationship to low dissolved oxygen. The prevalence of the skin discolouration was observecfto increase over the &month culture eriod, being somewhat reater in a non-integrated than in an integrated culture system at harvest. Eioorts to control the coniition with available chernothera eutics (mostly disinfectants and antibiotics) were ineffective although the organism was observed to ge sensitive to terramycin.

Morphology, protein profile and the level of Bedbug infestations were carried out at a University in Lagos, Nigeria after an outcry of high infestation by the students in halls of residence. Three bedbugswere each collected from nine halls of residence for morphological characterization of adults and to carry out protein profile analysis usingSodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Coomassie staining method. Level of infestation of Bedbugs was carried out in two female halls A and Busing blood smeared on the walls. All bedbugs found were Cimex hemipterus. 29.8% of the rooms in Hall Bhad no bedbug infestation, 23.9%, 20.2%, 15.4% and 10.6% had low, average, high and very high levels of bedbug infestation respectively while in A hall, it was 21.4%, 30.5%, 24.4%, 14.5% and 9.2% respectively. In A hall, 4.6%, 16.8% and 0.8% had one, two and three out of the four mattresses in the room infested with bedbugs respectively while 56.5% had all the four mattresses infested with bedbugs. In B hall, 1.6%, 16.0% and 0% had one, two and three mattresses infested with bedbugs respectively while the remaining 52.7% had all the four mattresses in the room infested with bedbugs. There was a significant relationship between the level of infestation and the number of mattresses infested in each hall (P < 0.01).The protein profile analysis of bedbugs did not show the protein bands clearly because of the low soluble protein content of Cimex hemipterus and the detection limit of Coomassie stain.